Geese are referred to as those who go against the moon.
That is probably the strangest thing about them. I don’t even know the meaning behind this name of theirs.
Do they stay away from the moon…?
Regardless of why their names were given this meaning I don’t know about it in detail. It is very rare for a word to survive while its true meaning is lost.
And going against the moon is like that.
Someone in this world might remember the meaning but I’m not that person.
As I light the bonfire I begin to groom the goose. I imagine many scenarios on how its name came to receive its meaning but I can’t come to a proper conclusion.
It can also be a term that refers to medicine.
The effects of goose meat can vary. First of all since the meat is non-toxic eating it can help detoxify poison from insects or anything that might contaminate the body to some extent. Since the meat is also generally cool it is also good to use for alleviating the body’s heat.
For my current condition eating goose meat is good if I want to suppress my madness to some extent. In that sense I think the naming of the goose was something done by people from Kangho.
Or maybe not.
I skewer the trimmed goose and roast it slowly over the fire. In the middle of this the assassins who have their bodies frozen are groaning.
I then ask them.
“Is it cold?”
“…”
“Does anyone know why geese are called those who go against the moon?”
“….”
“Doesn’t seem like anyone does. I’ll save you if you have an idea about it. Have any of you studied the words of Confucius? Why is it that when three people walk down a road one is called a teacher? Does that mean you have something to learn? You need to speak if you have a teacher who can teach you. You can’t just rely on the teacher.”
I start to eat the well-roasted goose.
“It is bland because there is no salt but it still works fine.”
All the shivering assassins are looking at me as I eat the warm goose meat in front of the bonfire.
I then make eye contact with them and say.
“Delicious. It tastes good. The meat slowly melts away.”
“…”
“If you think about it you are the same as the goose. After being trained hard in the art of killing you stay alive but do any of you remember why you even kill? Your ancestors were never like this. They risked their lives because they had a good reason to kill. On the other hand none of you have that. To kill someone because someone else ordered it… just as the meaning of the goose’s name has disappeared no one in this world will remember you.”
I slice the meat as I eat.
“I can live like this. However I have different ideas and goals. No killing for money. They extorted money from the weak robbed dead bodies demanded ransom payments and treated people like slaves with their twisted logic before killing them. I am not someone who makes a living like that.”
I put the last piece of meat in my mouth. My mouth then makes a popping sound as I take the leg bone out.
“I had it all.”
As I check the assassins’ conditions I once again infuse them with ice qi.
Taktaktak!
“Kuak!”
One of them groans startling me.
“You shocked me. This bastard. What kind of bullshit is this? Close your mouth!”
As I look around I see that everyone has runny noses and teary eyes.
I then tell the other assassins.
“Is this screaming guy a merchant? His fighting spirit is already gone. Your superiors should have taught you right. The seniors need to get beat then.”
Except for the one who screamed I infuse their bodies with ice qi again
Tik. Tik. Tik!
“Nice! Such things shouldn’t come from an assassin group. Anyway I’m thinking of going to a nearby guest house to buy some drinks. Promise that none of you will try to run away while I’m gone?”
I look at their faces with my hands up.
“No?”
I sigh.
“I mean even if you have a mouth you won’t answer. Fine. You die.”
I stride to the shore of the lake and splash its water onto them.
“Die!”
Splash! Splash!
Raiding waves furious waves and unstoppable splashes.
I smile as I see their faces falling into deeper despair as they begin to run out of breath.
“Fucking morons. Anyone who answered would have been put near the bonfire. Wait here while I get some drinks.”
I move to the guest house using my footwork. As I head to the bar my mind is occupied with what I want to drink. After taking an hour to drink a cup of tea I buy three jars of alcohol alongside plenty of dry snacks to take back to the lake.
I then interrupt a conversation between some whispering idiots.
“I bought a lot. Generously too. What did you all say about me?”
The assassins suddenly fall silent.
“Wow for real who am I talking to today? My throat is burning because I keep talking to myself. For a sore throat alcohol is best in such cases. There are alcohol and side dishes for snacks. Hahaha.”
“…”
“Ehh.”
I put more firewood into the dwindling bonfire and sit on a cushion made from dry grass and reeds.
I drink a few drinks and chew on some snacks.
“Kyaak… the farmer died the woodcutter died the hunter died the scholar died the sick one died and the old man is also dead. Ah the narrow-minded one is dead too. The fisherman the idiot and the disgusting-looking one. Five people managed to stay alive? The sickle guy is also alive so six.”
The man who uses the sickle is looking at me with wide eyes.
I then speak in a worried tone.
“You people aren’t allowed to sleep. Be patient even if you are getting sleepy. When you wake up after falling asleep you’ll be in hell. How did hell find you? Well someone will tell you that you were sent there by Lee Zaha. The great king is suffering a lot because of me.”
I let out a long sigh after drinking more alcohol.
“No guys. I crave joy through words. What am I doing today? So pathetic. Sorry”
I get up with a bottle in my hand and walk to an assassin.
“Yah…”
I grab the ugly-looking one with my left hand and look into his eyes.
“Look straight into my eyes before I kill you.”
After making eye contact with him I continued speaking.
“It’s not that I hate you because you’re an assassin. It’s not because you’re ugly either. Do understand that I hate you because you live without thoughts of the consequences. Think and live… Why were you born? Why do you assholes have to act like this? Is that life really meaningful? Have you ever thought about that? Be suspicious.”
I look at him.
“…”
“Assassin please understand me. I am like you. I mean what I’m doing isn’t the same as you trying to make a living. However you have to kill those who want to kill you. It’s not about listening to other people. The Low Down Sect leader is asking you to drink. Drink.”
I open the ugly one’s mouth and let him have a drink by putting the bottle inside.
Gulp…
The man gulps down the alcohol and passes out.
“How does it taste? Nice? Amazing the others will envy you now. It should be an honor to share this drink with me.”
I go back to my seat and continue to drink.
“Hey all of you?”
“…”
“I used to be an errand boy.”
I smile as I nod my head.
“Ah so you didn’t know that? You wouldn’t have known no matter how much you looked into my past. I didn’t name my sect the Low Down Sect for nothing. These are words that refer to those people who are at the bottom of the world. There is no difference between you and me. Did a man wake up alone or did he live a life that ended in a vain death after carrying out other people’s orders? That’s the difference in mindset. Now one last question.”
“…”
I gently lift a finger from the bottle.
“A sip anyone?”
These people are probably expecting that I would kill them by using intimidation.
‘Uh. No.’
I will persuade them.
“I’m not saying I will set your base on fire. I am also not asking you to tell me who your boss is. I will not ask again. Who wants a drink?”
The fisherman’s lips part as he lets out a loud voice.
“One sip.”
“Nice.”
I get up and go towards him. I then make him drink after raising his chin slightly.
“You must have had a hard time opening your mouth. Such quiet guys. How have you been trained? I don’t know.”
I return to my sitting spot and then look at them again. I am now familiar with their faces.
“Oh the moon has risen a little. In a little while it will shine on the lake. The Flower in the Mirror and Moon in the Water. Have you thought of this why is the moon so uselessly beautiful? Look at that moonlight. Maybe it is because people who work at night know it won’t fall. Or it is floating to tell people to be careful with their hands. Maybe lonely people sometimes wake up to look at it.”
“…”
“Am I wrong? Anyways I can conclude that I am not the kind of person who goes around killing people. The four of you haven’t had a drink so you’d better be dead..”
As I approach the swordsman I hold the bottle in my left hand and my dagger in my right.
As the swordsman opens his mouth red blood drips from his lips.
“One sip.”
I place the dagger on his neck and ask.
“Why did you decide to speak so suddenly? How long have I talked to myself? How many times did I have to ask? The knives are coming now.”
The swordsman screams.
“Alcohol! Help me!”
I look into his eyes and ask.
“Want to drink?”
“Yes!”
“I get it. Swordsmen should be friendly.”
Instead of alcohol the dagger enters his throat.
“Drink and give it a go. The dead don’t speak though.”
I force the three left to make a choice.
“Drink or die. Don’t answer and you’ll die.”
Two decide to drink but the sickle guy just looks at me.
“You Neng Gyeom? Don’t want a sip?”
“…”
I grab him by the neck and throw him into the lake. Alongside his scream comes a splashing sound as he sinks to the bottom and is unable to move.
I then tell the living ones.
“Five people left. Now let’s take a look at each other. I plan to keep only one person with whom I can communicate well. For the rest you can go swimming at night. Go after fish or whatever. And if I can’t stand you then I’ll kill you.”
As I return to threatening the remaining five I sit back and cross my legs.
“Everyone let’s see who wins.”
“…”
I close my eyes and whisper.
“Will I die first or your leader? Try to mediate that. I will tell you in advance that I am not weaker than your leader. I still need some cultivation though as a man doesn’t miss a day in the journey to become stronger. I may have been weaker than your leader yesterday but tomorrow I will be stronger. Do you know the reason?”
I take a deep breath and then deliver my conclusion.
“I won’t tell you.”
My cultivation starts under the moonlight. Around me the moon’s shadow begins to cover the night and fall on the water.
The heartless moonlight shines on the flowing water and me.
